A Capacity Building Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Program Dates: 4 – 8 November (2013)

Location: Broken Hill

This program was developed in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation. The program was the third to be held in Broken Hill and completed a five year partnership between the Diplomacy Training Program and The Fred Hollows Foundation in delivering human rights and advocacy programs specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Both organisations are proud to have enabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote regions to access to the training. The programs have built knowledge of human rights, Indigenous rights and government obligations under international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and practical advocacy skills.

This program had initially been planned as second stage training for participants from previous programs. Invitations were extended to alumni from the previous (2009 – 2013) Alice Springs, Katherine, Lake Bennett and Broken Hill programs to revise and deepen knowledge and skills relating to human rights and advocacy. However, a large number of new participants contacted both organisations to request inclusion in the training. This program was then tailored to provide both introductory and review content and to include alumni in the facilitation of sessions. This mode of delivery proved successful, all participants assessing that their objectives in applying for the program were met and, in most cases, exceeded.

The program brought together representatives from a number of Aboriginal communities and organisations in the Northern Territory, the ACT and NSW. Participants noted the value of coming together and sharing with Aboriginal people from diverse situations. The participants were all actively involved in working to protect the rights of Aboriginal Peoples, particularly in the area of health and well being.

In the course of the training, the participants engaged in discussions about their issues of concern and worked with these topics in a number of practical advocacy and campaigning exercises. In this way the training afforded the group an opportunity to raise their concerns, to identify the possibilities of utilising human rights standards and mechanisms to seek just outcomes and to develop action plans for concerted lobbying and campaigning on their concerns.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to the Elders – past, present and emerging – and the youth who are working towards a brighter tomorrow.